OFW mom seeks justice for daughter's death in Jeddah

An OFW from Canada is seeking justice for her 12-year-old daughter who mysteriously died while in the care of her husband in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, GMA News' Victoria Tulad reported on Unang Balita on Tuesday.
Bliss Mendoza said her daughter, who was supposed to graduate from elementary this month, passed away on March 20, days after her husband pulled her out of hospital "against medical advice."
"Dehado ako dahil kailangan ng signature galing sa akin para i-contest ang decision niya to discharge my daughter against medical advice. So nananalangin na lang po ako," she said.
Mendoza's husband, who was not identified in the report, was arrested in Jeddah but was released later on due to absence of a complaint.
Abused child?
The report said prior to her hospitalization, the child had told her school principal that her father was physically and sexually abusing her.
The report added that Mendoza was in Canada early March when her husband informed her that their daughter was confined in a hospital in Jeddah. This prompted her to fly home to Clarin, Misamis Oriental, to process her papers for Jeddah.
While in the Philippines, Mendoza was informed by her husband that he had decided to have their daughter discharged from the hospital. She became more suspicious when her husband did not allow her to talk to their child.
"Sabi ko sa kanya, kausapin ko ang anak ko. Sabi niya tulog. Sabi ko wala akong pakialam kung tulog siya, basta itapat mo ang cellphone sa tenga niya, yung nakikita ko siya sa video," Mendoza said.
She later learned that her daughter had died.
Gov't help sought
Mendoza, the report said, is calling on the Presidential Action Center to forward her daughter's case to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to allow the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah to transmit her daughter's autopsy report.
"Nananawagan po ako sa Presidential Action Center na sana po 'yung priority na 'yun, bigyan po nila ng pansin na mai-submit na po sa Department of Foreign Affairs kasi po naghihintay po ang Philippine Consulate in Jeddah doon sa affidavit na 'yun," she said.
"Hangga't hindi nila matanggap yung official transmittal from the Department of Foreign Affairs, wala po silang magawang aksyon dun sa hinihingi kong autopsy," Mendoza added. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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